Even when it comes to one of Singaporeans’ favourite topics, food, racial stereotypes still abound, as Primary 6 pupils at St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School learnt as part of Racial Harmony Day celebrations in schools nation-wide on July 21.

Education Minister Desmond Lee joined in the character and citizenship education lesson, where the pupils were asked to respond to scenarios involving racial stereotypes.

They had to move to one of “three corners” of the classroom depending on whether they felt comfortable, uncomfortable, or unsure about statements such as: “Don’t all Malays like spicy food?” For this question, most of the pupils moved to the “uncomfortable” or “unsure” corners.

They then discussed why they chose that response.

Building on the discussion, Lee shared his own experience of being mistaken for Malay despite being Peranakan. He recalled trying to buy bak chor mee — a noodle dish commonly topped with pork — when the stall owner stopped him, assuming he did not eat pork.

Addressing the class afterwards, he encouragedthe pupils to carry the lessons they learnt beyond Racial Harmony Day, saying that respecting others applied not only to race and ethnicity, but also to differences in religion, appearance, age and gender.

“Negative stereotypes cause us to see the world in artificial tones when actually there is so much vibrancy out there,” Lee said. “These are not just lessons you learn from racial harmony. They are lessons for interacting with other people and respecting one another.”

Minister of Education Desmond Lee in a discussion on racial harmony with students from St Anthony’s Canossian Primary School on Tuesday, July 21.

ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

Primary 6 pupil Sahithya Kajamugan, 12, said the lesson made her realise that racial stereotypes were not “just harmless jokes” but could “actually affect a person’s confidence and the way they express themselves”.

Another Primary 6 pupil, 12-year-old Sorfina Mohamed Sapiee said she had learnt that if she wanted to know more about another person’s culture, she should ask in a polite and respectful manner.

Following the lesson, Lee toured Racial Harmony Day booths set up in the school hall, stopping at each station to interact with students.

He tried his hand at traditional games including congkak, five stones, capteh, spinning tops and snakes and ladders, played traditional drums and added a message to the school’s Weaving Our Tapestry art installation, which reflected this year’s Racial Harmony Day theme, Our People, Our Tapestry.

Racial Harmony Day is commemorated annually by schools on July 21. In 1964, clashes and riots between the Malay and Chinese communities broke out on July 21, causing several deaths and hundreds of injuries.